Cookies For A Skeleton
by Snoring Dragon Productions
Summary: The only time people see the real you is when they are one of your closest friends. Who would have thought that one of these few people would be a skeleton who shares a mutual love of puns. Months pass and Sans is hanging out at your apartment. You decide to bake with him. Baking couldn't possibly lead to remembering, that leads to realization, that leads to romance. Right?
1. Chapter 1: Cookies and Puns

Chapter 1: Cookies and Puns

You hum a quiet tune to yourself as you gaze off into space. The room is pleasantly warm and your mind is pleasantly empty. With nothing of importance to do, you are content to just smile and breathe. Taking a deep breath, you let out a contented sigh before closing your eyes. The room seems to fade away and you are left floating on a blanket of stars. Giggling, you remember the first time you ever did this. It was in the company of a very talented and very underestimated ghost named Napstablook. At first you had wondered why he liked to lie on the floor so much. Once you finally tried it with him, you never questioned it again.

The stars swirl and twinkle around you as you keep your breathing steady. Napstablook had made sure to let you know that if you got overly excited, the stars would shimmer and fade. It required a certain amount of skill and several hours of practice, but you were soon able to steady your heartbeat and make the stars stay as long as you wanted them to. Your smile grows larger as you think about your ghost friend Blooky. He was so accomplished at laying on the floor calmly that he was able to _feel_ the stars move underneath him. You had tried many times but had never been able to reach that level of dedication.

"hey, kiddo…" A deep voice reaches your ears. It seems like it is coming from millions of miles away, but you know that it is coming from the couch next to you.

You open your eyes and let the stars fade away. Smirking, you turn your head and focus your gaze on the short skeleton. "What is it?"

His permanent grin grows larger as he responds. "just checking to make sure you are still with me."

"I'm not the one who fell asleep. You've been out for at least an hour!" You reply with a laugh. Grabbing the pillow next to you, you hurl it at his smug smile.

Raising a skeletal arm, his left eye glows light blue. The pillow stops in mid air, surrounded by a blue aura. Grinning even wider, Sans flicks his arm to the side. The pillow streaks across the room and smacks against the wall with a dull thump.

You narrow your eyes at him. "Cheater."

"i can't help it if i happen to have magic powers" He replies wide a lazy gaze.

You cross your arms and stick out your tongue at him before responding with a laugh. "That doesn't mean you have to use them."

"whatever." Sans makes a sound resembling a yawn, his mouth stays closed like usual, before stretching. "i'm starving. how about some grub?"

You think for a moment, raising your eyes to the ceiling and tapping a finger against your chin. Without realizing it, you take a strand of hair in your hands and begin raking your fingers through it. It is a habit you have had since you were a little girl and one that you noticed yourself performing more frequently. "Well…"

"c'mon kiddo, i'm practically wasting away here. soon i'll be nothing but skin and bones." Sans whines as he lays down on the couch. He begins to slowly sink into it.

"Yeah, minus the skin." You reply with a laugh. Your eyes light up as a wonderful idea comes to you. "Hey! I have a great idea!" Laughing, you bolt off of the couch and race to the small kitchen. Your apartment is not the biggest, but it is small and cozy. Just how you like it. You squeeze behind the counter and begin opening drawers in your frantic search for ingredients.

"what are you looking for?" A curious voice asks from the living room. Sans has not even bothered to get off of the couch.

"Sans, I figure since you are practically wasting away by the _flour_ , we should make something that will fill you up." You say with a challenging gleam in your eye. In your hand is a large bag of flour. You shake it softly to make sure Sans gets the hint.

His smile grows larger. "well, i'm _kitchen_ to know what you are up to."

"Would you consider yourself an _egg_ -cellent baker?" You say as you pull a carton of eggs out of the fridge.

"not really. my baking skills aren't all they're _cracked_ up to be." Sans says as he uses his magic to take the egg carton from you and set it on the counter. He leans against the counter and waits.

You smile and open a cabinet without even giving him a second glance. You have gotten used to the fact that he can appear anywhere at any given time. It seems ordinary to you now, although you have to admit that it is quite a challenge when playing games of hide and seek. "Strange, with Papyrus being such a great cook I figured that you would be a _chip_ off the old block." Tossing a bag of chocolate chips at him, you are relieved when he catches them easily. That is your last bag and it would be a shame if the ants got to enjoy the chocolate instead of you two.

Sans eyes examine the ingredients sitting on the table before flickering to you. He seems to be thinking not only of another pun, but of what you could possibly have in mind. "you _butter_ tell me what's going on."

As soon as his pun is said, the butter soars out of the fridge and lands safely on the counter. He raises an eyebrow, it is actually the bone above his eye but you were never sure what to call it, to ask whether or not you actually needed the butter. Smiling, you nod your head. His smile becomes relieved and smug.

"If I don't tell you, then I guess that's just how the…" You pause for dramatic effect before continuing. " _cookie_ crumbles."

As if on cue, you both burst into fits of laughter. You hold your sides firmly in order to stop the random spasms of pain that accompanies uncontrollable giggles. Sans seems to be faring no better, and has to grab the counter to hold himself up. Your eyes close as the laughs keep coming. It is a sea of giggles, tears, and random snorts. A large snort from you causes your laughter to stop while Sans' increases. You narrow your eyes at him but your mouth remains fixed in a smile almost as large as his.

"heh heh heh heh…" Sans' giggles finally end. Taking a deep breath he says with a straight face. "that was pretty _punny_."

Unable to control yourself you shout out. "OH MY GOD SANS!" You admit defeat as another round of giggles attacks you.


	2. Chapter 2: Opening the Book

Chapter 2: Opening the Book

"Alright, time to get started." You say with a smile as you look at the ingredients on the counter in front of you. A small voice inside of your head tells you that you will need more items to make the cookies but another lazier voice besides you comments on how you can get it later.

"if we need anything else we can just grab it later." Sans says with a half lidded gaze at the counter. "let's just see what happens."

You roll your eyes before looking at him. "Sure, because all great cooks just… see what happens."

Sans smirks at you before replying with a wink. "Papyrus does."

Your stomach jumps involuntarily at the mention of Papyrus's cooking. Swallowing the gag threatening to escape through your throat, you take a deep breath. Your stomach continues to flip more than an acrobat as you reply in a curt voice. "Well, it's hard to argue with that."

"heh heh heh." Is the only reply you receive.

You quickly open the small drawers in front of you before Sans can come up with any more helpful advice. Piles of random paper clips, notepads, pencils, and other assorted office supplies meet your eyes. Determined to find what you are looking for, you reach a hand in and begin shuffling things to the side. Your hand seems to disappear in the drawer. For a moment you wonder if you stuck it inside a portal to another dimension. Refusing to give up, you continue to move things around and only succeed in making things messier. Your eyes narrow as you focus. Sticking your tongue out the side of your mouth, your fingers feel around the black abyss of the junk drawer.

"geez _, do you always have so much stuff in a single drawer?" Sans says as he looks at your face from the corner of his eye sockets. His smile widens as he sees the frustration you are trying to hide. "makes me wonder why you always complain about how messy my room is."

"That is because your room has a sock collection for a floor and you never once make your bed." You reply with your eyes still glued to the drawer.

"don't get worked up." Sans says as your hand closes around a book. "i'm just messing with you." He emphasizes the word messing to make sure you know it is a pun. Seeing your shoulders tense with held back laughter assures him that you understand.

"Well, I found it." You say with triumph as you hold the old book in the air with one hand. Its dusty cover betrays the fact that it has not been used in years. Blowing on it quickly, you smirk when Sans sneezes. Placing the book on the counter gently, you flip through its worn pages until you find the one you want. Your stomach growls at the picture of a gooey, chocolate chip cookie. Nodding your head with satisfaction, you point to the picture and look at Sans.

His smile is all the conformation you need.

"Now that we have the recipe, all we need to do is make it." You declare as you scan the page for the first step.

"have you ever baked before?" Sans asks in a questioning tone.

You open your mouth in mock surprise. Placing a hand over your heart, you sigh and place the other on your forehead. Watching those Mettaton movies with Papyrus really helped your acting skills. "You don't think that I have enough experience to make these simple cookies?" You pout your lips and look up at Sans.

Being a couple inches taller than you, Sans looks down at you and smirks. "so, that's a no?"

You drop the act and shuffle from foot to foot. "Yeah… that's a big no."

"no biggie kiddo." Sans says with a shrug. "we can figure this out, no problem."

Smiling at Sans, you think about how you first met him. It is impossible to believe that when you first saw him, he was someone you hoped you would never see again. People say that first impressions are everything. That if you make a wrong first impression the friendship is doomed from the start, but Sans seemed to be an exception.

...

You walk down the street quickly. Rain pounds on the umbrella you hold tightly in your clenched fist. Storms can come suddenly where you live, which is why you always carry a small umbrella with you. You smirk as you remember all the people who said you were wasting your time. They were probably soaked to the bone while you were nice and dry underneath your conveniently carried umbrella. Twirling it in triumph, you admire the pattern of ducks. They seem to be flying when the umbrella twirls around and around. The droplets of rain seem to slide off of their feathers.

Your steps become quicker without you realizing it. Each step seems to match the sound of a raindrop falling from the sky. Before long you are lightly jogging down the street. Puddles splash as you race by, soaking your pant legs. It doesn't matter, you are almost home anyway and there is no one around to get splashed. That was the nice part about leaving work late. You got the entire street to yourself.

Jumping up and down in a large puddle, you are grateful to be the only one out so late. If anyone saw you… it would surely cause you to go red with embarrassment. The last thing you want is anyone paying attention to you. A soft smile covers your face as you continue your trek home. It is perfectly fine to blend into the crowds during the day, and jump in puddles when the crowds are gone at night. The rain begins to fall harder and sends a shiver down your spine. Rain pounds on the rooftops of the tall buildings surrounding you. The sidewalk gets slippery and you are forced to stop running.

Raising your shoulders to protect you from the chill in the air, you focus your attention on the sidewalk. You want to make sure that you don't slip and carefully look at each step you take. Assuring yourself that there is no one around to bump into, you keep your gaze glued on the ground.

Suddenly, you are stopped in your tracks by an object in your way. You grunt as you walk into it. Your face makes contact with something warm and soft, but your forehead hits something hard. Stumbling backwards, you wave your arms in order to stop from slipping. The puddles on the ground make it difficult and you are forced to let go of your umbrella. Rain begins to pound on your head, soaking your hair and temporarily blinding you. Your duck umbrella lands loudly on the sidewalk before a gust of wind takes it away. You blink a few times to clear the rain from your eyes before examining what you ran into.

It is hard to see through the fierce rain, but you are sure that it is a person. Rubbing your eyes, they widen in shock when you are finally able to see his face. He does not have any skin or muscle. He appears to be a skeleton. Your mouth opens in shock as your curious eyes gaze at him. The warmth you felt was his soft, blue jacket and the hardness you felt was your forehead hitting his skull. He is wearing a white shirt underneath his jacket and black shorts with white stripes on the sides. For some reason he wears socks and fluffy pink slippers on his feet. Your mouth tightens with concern. His feet must be soaked.

When your eyes stop worrying about his footwear, you gaze back up to his face. You realize that he is a couple inches taller than you. Because of your short height you are often mistaken for a child. Finding someone who is only a mere couple of inches taller is strange enough. Finding a skeleton a couple inches taller than you is incredible. His eyes captivate you the most however. Two pinpricks of light in large, black eye sockets. You can't help but stare at him and for a few minutes, neither of you talk.

"what's your problem?" He says in a low voice.

"What?" You reply as you snap out of your trance.

"haven't you ever seen a skeleton before?" He says as his eye sockets narrow.

"Um… not walking around." You say nervously. Your stomach feels like it is tying itself in knots. The streets were completely empty. You swore that there had been no one else around. How had you managed to bump into him?

"is it a problem?" He says as the lights in his eyes fade away.

"Is what a problem?" You ask uneasily.

"that i'm here? that other monsters are here?" He explains in a dangerous voice.

Your eyes widen with realization. Of course! You remember hearing snippets from work about how monsters had arrived from underneath Mt. Ebott. It seemed so unbelievable; you had assumed that it was all a big joke. Never in your wildest dreams would you have thought that monsters actually lived underneath the mountain. The story about the war between humans and monsters had been around for so many years, most people assumed it was a myth. Your hands twitch as you realize that the story was real. Monsters had arrived and you were talking to one.

"No, not at all." You quickly say. "I'm sorry I just…"

"weren't expecting to run into one." He says as he takes a step closer. "next time watch where you are going."

"I didn't mean to." You try to explain. "It was an accident."

"if you have accidents with any other monsters i swear" His voice becomes so soft you can barely hear it. "you will have a bad time."

Your hands fly to your soaking wet hair and take a strand. Fiddling with it, you swallow a nervous lump in your throat. "I really am sorry."

He doesn't respond. Only looks at you for a few more seconds before walking past you. You can hear his slippers squishing on the wet sidewalk. The funny sound would normally make you giggle, but instead you try to keep your breathing steady. Your nerves feel like you jumped from a cliff. Forcing your stomach to stop flipping, you stare blankly in front of you. Shaking from the cold and conversation, you slowly walk home. The best part of walking home in the rain is that your tears blend in with the droplets hitting your face.


	3. Chapter 3: Hello Skeleton

Chapter 3: Hello Skeleton

The morning sun filters down through your blinds and causes you to sit up groggily. You want nothing more than to just fall back asleep. Your arms lovingly caress the soft blankets around you as you blink to clear the blurriness from your vision. Your rainbow tinted, zebra striped pillow seems to call for you.

 _Come back to bed _!_

As much as you hate to disappoint Mr. Pillow, you know that you would hate to disappoint your boss even more. Kicking off the blankets, you jump out of bed. As if on cue, your alarm clock starts blaring throughout the still air of the apartment. For several years the sun has acted as your natural alarm clock, but it never hurts to have a backup plan. You stretch your arms above your head, grinning when they give a satisfying crack, before turning it off.

"Alright, time for some breakfast." You murmur as you walk towards your kitchen. The trip is a short one and before you know it, you are rummaging through your cabinets. Your apartment is not the biggest, but you don't mind. It is cheap and comes with a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room. What else could you possibly need?

"I might need a step stool..." You grumble as your fingers desperately reach for the Pan spray. You always make sure to put items on the shelves that you can reach with no strain, but sometimes things get pushed further back. Your fingers give one last desperate stretch towards the spray. It only gets pushed further back into the unreachable abyss of the cabinet. Your eyes burn with flames of anger when the spray falls over to its side. With a blank face, you watch as the spray rolls out of sight.

 _Why don't I have a step stool?_ You think as you finally admit defeat. Grabbing a box of Lucky Charms, you are comforted by the fact that your taste buds will soon be meeting something magically delicious.

When you finish your breakfast, you look at the clock. Grinning, you leap out of your chair and race for the door. The fact that you eat like a tiny bird is why you always make sure to get up at least a couple hours early. It usually pays off and this day us no exception. You gingerly step out of your apartment and lock the door behind you. As you walk down the hallway you notice that very few people are up yet. The trip is quiet and uneventful as you try not to wake your sleeping neighbors. When you reach the sidewalk you are startled by the contrast.

The sidewalk is bustling with throngs of people on their way to work. It is a mystery whether your apartment just happens to house all of the jobless people in the city or whether everyone had already left for work and blended into the mass of bodies. You wait a few minutes for an opening to form before diving in. It is not usually this crowded. You try to keep up with the pace the crowd is setting and begin to walk faster. Your chest pumps with each breath and you keep your eyes glued in front of you. You feel your cheeks heat up every time someone walks towards you. They usually walk right past you without giving you a second glance, but you still feel your eyes darting around looking at anything but them.

It does not make sense that you would live in a big city when you feel panic every time someone looks in your direction. Most people would assume that you would like to live in a sleepy town somewhere. Perhaps a place that you could be alone and not have to worry about thousands of eyes looking at you. Your smile softens as you think about why you decided to live in a crazy place like this. There is just so much to do! There are so many shops and restaurants to explore. Everywhere you turned there was something new to experience. It made your eyes shine as you imagined all the possibilities. You lived by a simple code. If it's something new… give it a try.

The city also made sure to blend together buildings and nature. The skyscrapers reached towards the sky, but no factories puffed pollution into the clouds. The sky was always blue and dotted with white cotton ball clouds. At night thousands of stars could be seen over the city park. The lights from the buildings did not let them shine as brightly over the main part of the city. The city parks were beautiful and perfect to go to when you needed to escape the hustle and bustle of life. Not to mention the breath taking view of Mt. Ebott. The mountain was one of the main reasons you moved to the city. It looms far off past the forests, like a guardian keeping watch over you all.

You are jolted out of your thoughts when you walk right into something. Your hand rubs your forehead as you try and stop the dull, throbbing headache. Whatever it was, it was hard. You stare for a moment, trying to figure out what the strange figure is. It is wearing a white shirt with blue, tight pants. Your eyes watch a bright orange scarf flow in the breeze for a few moments before looking down and seeing large orange boots. Hands covered in orange gloves grab you by your shoulders and hoist you up into the air. You panic and feel your breathing grow heavier as you are lifted higher and higher. The figure is much taller than you and seems to be much stronger as well.

 _What is happening?_ You think as your eyes dart around frantically. People are just walking by. They don't seem to care about what is happening at all. You feel your heart sink when you are raised high enough for your eyes to meet his. He is a skeleton.

"HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WISH TO APOLOGIZE FOR RUNNING INTO YOU!" He says in a loud voice that causes your ears to pound. "ACTUALLY, I WAS NOT RUNNING. I WAS JUST STANDING HERE AND YOU WALKED INTO ME… BUT I WILL APOLOGIZE NONTHELESS! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, ALWAYS WANTS TO BE COURTEOUS TO A NEW FRIEND."

You give a forced smile and try to respond without your voice cracking in fear. The memory of your past encounter with a skeleton flashes through your mind. "I… I should say sorry. I walked into you."

Papyrus, you assumed that was his name, gives you a friendly smile. You notice that his eye sockets are much smaller than the other skeleton you had seen and do not have any light in them. Despite this, they seem to glow with warmth that the shorter one had lacked. "NYEH HEH HEH! DO NOT WORRY HUMAN! IT TAKES MORE THAN SOMONE AS SMALL AS YOU TO HURT ME!"

You feel a slight spark in your chest at the word small. Your cheeks heat up with embarrassment and indignation. Suddenly you are very aware that he is still holding you in his arms. "Can you please put me down?"

"OF COURSE HUMAN!" He almost shouts as he lowers you to the ground. He is gentle as he sets you down, as if you might break if he does not do it right. The care he uses causes your anger to die down.

"Thanks… Papyrus." You test the name on your tongue. "I really have to get going now." You shuffle in place for a few seconds. You don't want to leave. He seems like such a sweet skeleton. Maybe a little loud and a tad over confident, but still… you can just feel that he is someone that you should be friends with.

His smile falls slightly. "OH…" Suddenly it perks up and he exclaims with joy. "NYEH HEH HEH! HUMAN, WHY DON'T WE EXCHANGE CELLULAR PHONE NUMBERS SO THAT I MAY CONTACT YOU AGAIN?"

You feel you smile grow as you nod your head. Feeling none of the fear that normally came with meeting someone new, you give him your number and put his in your phone. "Well, I'll text you later ok?"

"HUMAN! IT IS I, WHO WILL TEXT YOU AT A LATER DATE! THEN WE CAN HANG OUT LIKE BESTIES!" Papyrus says as he puts away his cellphone. He waves goodbye before running down the street with a triumphant. "NYEH HEH HEH!"

You smile in his direction before looking at the time. "Oh no! I'm going to be late!" Running almost as fast as Papyrus, you sprint down the street.


	4. Chapter 4: The New Co-worker

Chapter 4: The New Co-worker

You lean against the wall, panting from the strain of your earlier run. Beads of sweat roll down your forehead. You brush them away with the back of your hand in disgust. Flicking the moisture off of your hand, you wipe them on your jeans before walking towards the counter. The store is quiet except for the hum of the air conditioner. You welcome the cold air that washes over you as you take your position behind the cash register. Taking a deep breath, you allow yourself a moment to relax.

The double doors open and the familiar chime of a bell sounds. Your eyes light up when you see your co-worker. He is a tall and thin man with an unruly mop of black hair on top of his head. His thick-rimmed glasses cause his brown eyes to magnify, giving him a doe-eyed look. He walks over to you quickly, making sure not to bump into any of the shelves around him. His gangly legs are like a spider's and seem to move faster than he is moving. When he finally arrives at the cash register, you can see the pride shine through his glasses at what he has accomplished.

Pride that you can't help but acknowledge. "Looks like you made it over here without any natural disasters." You say with a chuckle.

"Yep. I've been practicing you know." He says sarcastically. His tone of voice lets you know that the game has begun.

You two begin to engage in a conversation of rhetorical situations and sarcastic comebacks. An old tradition made the first day you two became co-workers. It never got old and each new round only made you two seem to get closer as friends.

"I can tell. It's like the moment you say that you slip backwards and knock over every shelf." You say with a deadpan expression.

"Ha ha ha." He sarcastically laughs. "If that happened it would be because you pushed me."

"Yeah, and then I fall down too and knock the cash register over. Money spills everywhere." You counter with an even bigger disaster.

"That wouldn't be much." He says as he eyes the almost empty register.

"Boss walks in and sees everything. Is so mad she literally bursts into flames." You say with a devilish gleam in your eye.

"Hallelujah." Is all he replies.

That was it. You two couldn't help but burst into fits of laughter. You place your hands on the counter to keep yourself upright. Leaning against it, you wipe the joyful tears out of the corner of your eyes and look back to your friend. He is clutching his stomach to stop the tingling that happens when you laugh too much. His slumped over posture lets you know that he is not winning the battle. Looking at the clock, you realize that the boss will be coming to check up on you two soon. You quickly fix the wrinkles in your yellow button up shirt and put on your nametag.

Pointing to the nametag on the counter, you give your co-worker a nudge. Quickly he puts on the tag that reads, Daniel, and gives you thumbs up. Satisfied that everything in fine, you relax and wait for the storm to come.

The silence borders on the unbearable, so you decide to strike up some light conversation with Daniel. "So, nice weather today huh?"

"Yep. The clouds over Mt. Ebott are really white today. Yesterday it was so rainy I didn't see a single one." Daniel replies lazily. His eyes are glued to the door that leads to the office of your boss.

The mention of Mt. Ebott reminds you of your recent encounter with Papyrus. You feel your grin widen at the thought of the interesting skeleton. You roll a pencil around on the counter as you reply. "Speaking of Mt. Ebott, have you met any monsters yet?" You stop rolling the pencil when you see his expression.

"No. I don't want to either." He replies quickly. "I don't get how the government can just let monsters lurk out from underground. We can't trust them."

You grab a strand of your hair in your hands and begin to play with it. "The monsters don't mean us any harm." Your thoughts stray to your first encounter with a monster. The thought of his blank gaze sends shivers down your spine. "At least, not all of them do."

"But what about the ones who do?" Daniel says as he slams his fist on a shelf. The figurines on top remain unharmed, but a little shaken. "They are monsters. We don't know what they are capable of. Some of them are huge and others have large teeth, claws, and who knows what else! If one monster decides to turn… imagine how many people would be caught in the cross fire."

"I guess that does make sense." You say reluctantly. Your fingers twirl the strand of hair more vigorously as you think. "People and monsters will just have to try and understand each other."

"Why didn't they just stay under their mountain and leave the world alone?" Daniel says with a sigh. He leans his head back and closes his eyes.

You decide to leave him alone with his thoughts and focus your attention back on the door. Daniel had gotten you thinking. Why had the monsters come out of the underground? They had lived there for many years… why the sudden leave? Based on rumors floating around, the monsters had created a civilization down there. Towns, cities, even a government. They had more than enough food to just live there permanently. You sigh and release your hair. It seemed like a peaceful existence. Isolated from the problems of the world. Cozy underground where everyone seems to know each other. Ruled by a king who loves his subjects and is not corrupted like the political system above. Why would anyone want to leave?

"Attention you slackers!" A shrill voice breaks the silence and your thoughts.

You plaster a fake smile on your face and look at the woman standing near the door you were supposedly watching. She is a robust woman of medium height. Her thick, blonde hair reeks of hair spray and seems to reflect the light. She is wearing a floral pattern dress that reminds you of a couch you saw in a furniture store once. Her bright red lipstick matches her long, red nails. She impatiently taps them against a clipboard and examines you with light blue eyes. Without the over abundance of makeup, hair products and pure evil… she might have been kind of pretty.

"I have some important news." She says as her eyes squint at you and Daniel. "Due to the newcomers to the city… monsters. I have decided to hire some new help."  
"New help?" Daniel echoes in confusion.

"Yes!" She shouts impatiently. "The population of the city has risen considerably and I will have more customers than ever. Your new co-worker will be arriving soon so make sure to-" She was cut off by the sound of the bell on the door.

"Oh… am I too early? Sorry. I can just go. Or I can just stay. Anything is fine…"


	5. Chapter 5: Suggest Some Music

Chapter 5: Suggest Some Music

You turn your head towards the voice and are surprised to see nothing there. As your eyes scan the area around the front door you realize that there is something in front of you. It is like a faint fog that you can barely make out. Almost like a mirage in the desert that will disappear the moment you try to focus on it. The apparition shimmers slightly in the light. It seems to focus for a moment before fading out again. The transition between foggy and almost clear is hypnotic. Squinting your eyes, you try to make out the form. It is like a floating sleeping bag, with a tiny mouth and two tiny eyes on its front.

"No, no! I was just letting your co-workers know you were coming." You boss huffs in an impatient tone.

When she finishes speaking, the figure shimmers brighter for a moment before slowly coming into view. You can still slightly see what is behind him but you are now able to see him better. He is small and floats around your eye height above the floor. With no hands, you wonder how he is able to grab anything. His mouth is set in a straight line and his eyes dart between you and Daniel. It seems like he wants to say something. He opens his mouth before quickly closing it again and floating forward. Still silent, he just floats to the electronics section of the small store and stays there.

"Bapstanook will cover the electronics portion of the store. Daniel, you stay with the figurines and other assorted items. _ is still in charge of the register. Now get to work!" Your boss gives you all a hard glare before retreating into her office.

"It's actually… Napstablook." The ghost mumbles to the closed door. With a long sigh he turns towards the shelves and begins looking through the assortment of electronics. Carefully, he makes sure all the video games are in the right places.

You take your position behind the register. Customers begin to come in and you are soon swapped with work. Smiling, you accept a woman's money and put it into the register. Giving her ten dollars in change, you hand her a small plastic bag containing a new phone. Remembering the timeless tradition of the 'upsell' you offer her a phone case that is twenty percent off with the purchase of any phone. The amount for the phone case equals to… ten dollars exactly.

"That sure is convenient. What do you say?" You ask with an ever-present smile.

The woman thinks for a few moments before finally nodding her head yes. She chooses a rhinestone covered pink case and hands you back her change. Waving goodbye, she leaves the store without noticing your relieved sigh. Your boss would definitely find out if you had not offered the woman the special deal. Even worse, you would never hear the end of it if the woman had not accepted.

Noticing that there is a lull in the line, you take the opportunity to check your area. All money is in the cash register and the credit card machine is functioning properly. You realign your glittery pencils and puppy adorned note pad before looking around the store. There are several customers still inside but no one seems to be ready to buy anything yet. Taking a deep breath, you enjoy the break.

Your eyes wander over to Napstablook. He seems to be enjoying himself. Not many customers had come over to the electronics section besides the lady who bought the phone. Because of the lack of interruption, the ghost had been able to organize all the video games and movies in alphabetical order. He had even placed the phone cases (the ones not on sale) in rainbow order. That kind of hard work was something that would catch the boss' attention and maybe even make her remember his name. You smile as you notice him float over to the music section and begin to read the CD covers. His straight mouth moves into a small smile. It is not very noticeable, in fact if you had not been looking you probably wouldn't have even noticed it. But it is there and it makes your heart swell.

'He must like music.' You think as you watch him carefully put down a CD and pick up another one. You have always been fond of music yourself. Although you can't read music or play an instrument, you still enjoy listening to it.

You watch him for a few more minutes, wondering how he can pick up physical objects with no hands or material body. Suddenly, you see a shadow in front of you. Assuming it is a customer, you automatically say. "Sorry to keep you waiting. How may I help you?"

When your eyes focus on the person in front of you they immediately relax. It is just Daniel, stopping to say a quick hello. "Oh, hey Daniel. What's up?"  
"Not many people asking for help at the moment. Thought I'd come over and see how you were doing." Daniel replies. He leans against the counter and looks around the store. You notice his shoulders tense when his gaze rests on Napstablook. "What do you think of the new guy?"

"I like him." You reply without much thought. It was true though. You did admire the little ghost's work ethic. Something about him just made you feel like he was someone who was used to working hard without much thanks. You could definitely relate to that. "Do you?"

"I don't trust him." Daniel replies in a low voice. "I don't understand why our boss would hire a monster. Why didn't she just hire a normal person?"

You fight the urge to roll your eyes at Daniel's complaint. "She probably wanted to make the monsters feel welcome here. He's working very hard and I don't think he has even said one word to you."

"Yeah…" Daniel says, obviously not convinced. A customer in the clothing section begins waving his arms to catch his attention. "Got to go."

You watch Daniel walk over to the man and laugh quietly behind your hand. Daniel is being so suspicious. Sure that he will warm up to Napstablook eventually, you look at the clock and realize that the store will be closing soon. You quickly take care of a man who wants to buy several movies before getting ready to leave. Making sure that you have everything you need, you pick up your bright yellow purse. It contains your phone, wallet, and several random pieces of candy. Your eyes examine an orange Starburst.

'Wonder how long this was there…' You think as you weigh the pros and cons of eating the piece of candy.

A small voice breaks you from your important debate. It sounds like Napstablook. His voice seems happier than usual. Grinning, you listen in on the conversation. Although you feel bad about eavesdropping, you are curious about what could possibly make the gloomy ghost so happy.

"I can help you find a new artist to listen to… if you want." He says with a bigger smile on his face. Napstablook is facing a tall woman who is shuffling through the CD's. She takes one out and puts it back with a look of disgust before looking at Napstablook. Her brown eyes seem to pierce through him.

"I doubt _you_ have any taste in music." She replies as she raises her nose and looks down on him. She taps her red high heels on the floor and waits for him to leave.

You feel your cheeks heat up with anger as you see the woman's expression. Her mouth is twisted in a patronizing sneer. Her curled, black hair frames a cruel, uncaring face. The sharp angles of her chin and nose make it look like she was carved from stone. Your fingers tap on the desk as you try to keep your anger under control.

"Well…" Napstablook replies, oblivious to the woman's disdain of him. "I do know one new artist who is the best singer I have ever heard."

"Isn't that special." She mumbles in a mocking tone. She looks away as Napstablook pulls out a CD.

"His name is Mettaton." Napstablook continues. His smile grows bigger as he holds the CD in front of him. The tone of his voice becomes light and airy as he continues to praise the musician. "He is the greatest superstar ever. He can sing Pop, Rock, Classical… anything. He also dances and acts. Not to mention…"

"Ugh!" The woman rudely interrupts with a groan. "I know all about _Mettaton_. That overrated tin can does not hold a candle to some of our _human_ artists. I don't want to listen to some robot."

She quickly turns on her heel and struts out of the store. The clicking of her heels fills the air. You glare at her back as she leaves. For a moment you wish that looks actually could kill. When her body is no longer in sight, you glance over at Napstablook. He is just floating there. In his grasp he still holds the Mettaton CD. Ghostly tears run down his face and land on it, soaking the shiny cover. You swallow a lump in your throat and force your own tears to stay in your eyes. He looks so crestfallen.

The joy in his voice completely disappears as he says. "Oh well…"

You can't take it anymore. Even though there are still a few minutes until the store closes you decide to leave your post. You wave your arms to get Daniel's attention. Pointing at the register, you signal that you need to go somewhere. He understands and nods his head. Giving you a smile, he assures you that he will take care of the remaining customers. Smiling back, you slowly walk over to Napstablook. You can feel your heart pumping in your chest. You try to keep your breathing even. Even though you had taken a liking to the little ghost, you still felt nervous talking to him.

"Um… Napstablook." You say quietly.

"Huh?" He turns towards you slowly. "Yes… I'm Napstablook. My friends call me Blooky."

"Can I call you Blooky?" You ask hesitantly.

"Sorry… only really close friends can call me Blooky." He says in a dull voice. "But if you want to… I guess… it's okay."

"That's okay. I'll call you Napstablook." You say with a small smile. You can tell that he does not really want you to call him by that special nickname. "Can I see that?"

Napstablook slowly gives you the CD with a sigh.

You look at the cover in awe. It sparkles like glitter and the words seem to be engraved on it with gold. It depicts a stylish looking robot. You assume he is Mettaton. He is slender with an amazing figure. One of his legs is raised above his head showing his incredible flexibility, the legs are killer. His silky black hair covers one of his eyes with stylish wings, and his visible eye is a bright fuschia. On his chest is a bright, glowing pink heart that matches the color of his eyes and bright go-go boots. He looks like a star that knows how to work a crowd. Napstablook had also said he could act and dance as well. You admire the talented robot for a few minutes before looking back at Napstablook. The admiration you felt must have shown on your face because he looked slightly happier.

"This is Mettaton right?" You wait for the ghost to nod before continuing. "He looks amazing. Do you think you could suggest some of his music for me?"

"I can definitely help you with that." Napstablook says with a wide smile.


	6. Chapter 6: An Innocent Soul

Chapter 6: An Innocent Soul

You walk out of the small store with a smile on your face. After talking to Nasptablook for a few minutes about music you discovered that the ghost had quite a bit of knowledge on the subject. When you had asked how he knew so much about the composition of so many songs he had confessed that he made music in his spare time. Although he had quietly refused to let you listen to any of them, you still admired him for making it. Napstablook had suggested several songs by Mettaton that you had never even heard of before, and in return you had been able to suggest some of your favorite musicians. Smiling and promising Napstablook that you would give the new songs a try, you had left with a skip in your step.

Your mind wanders for a few minutes before you remember the new number in your phone. Smiling, you quickly take out your cellphone and look through the contacts. The name 'The Great Papyrus' seems to jump out off the list. It was so different compared to the other names. You usually had names like Mom, Dad, Jazzy, Daniel… nothing too extravagant or eye catching. Chuckling, you decide to send him a text. You don't know if he is too busy to accept a call and don't want to bother him. Before you can even click the button however, the phone begins to ring.

"Ahhhh!" You give a small scream and nearly drop the phone on the sidewalk. When your heart stops racing, you look at who is calling and laugh. "Hey Papyrus!"

"HUMAN! I AM SO GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR CELLULAR TELEPHONE! NOW WE CAN HAVE A PLAY DATE." His voice is even louder when pressed against your ear.

You move the phone a few inches away from your ear in an attempt to avoid going deaf before answering. "Cool! I was actually going to text you when the phone started ringing. I was so scared I nearly threw it on the ground." The words flow easily from your tongue, surprising you immensely. You had never felt as comfortable talking to someone as you did right now.

"GOOD THING YOU DID NOT. OTHERWISE WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. ANYWAYS, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO FOR OUR PLAY DATE?" Papyrus answers with a nyeh heh heh filled laugh.

You think for a moment. Although you feel comfortable talking with him, you do not feel comfortable enough to go to your house or his house. You try to think of somewhere where there is a lot to do. A grin spreads across your face when the perfect idea comes to you. "I know! Want to walk around the city park? There is a lot of beautiful tress and flowers. It would be fun…" You trail off at the end of your sentence and hold your breath. Did he like the idea?  
"THAT SOUNDS…" Papyrus pauses for a moment before exclaiming. "LIKE A GREAT IDEA! AN IDEA WORTHY OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND HIS NEW HUMAN BESTIE! I WILL MEET YOU THERE SHORTLY! NYEH!" With a final nyeh, Papyrus hangs up.

You look at the phone for a moment before laughing. His energy is contagious even over the phone and you can't wait to see him again. With a small skip in your step, you head towards the park. It is not very far away, only a five minute walk and you are sure that you will get there before him. Your eyes wander around as you walk. There is a crowd of people all around you. Some are leaving work like you are, while others are just heading there. You look at the sidewalk as a middle aged man passes you. When he is safely behind you, you raise your eyes and continue looking around.

The air is pleasantly warm and you close your eyes for a split second to drink it all in. The blue skies, the fluffy clouds, everything seems to be promising that the play date will go well. You take a deep breath as the park comes into view. Hopefully the area was not lying to you. Your feet skip along the sidewalk as you enter the park gates. They are large and made of heavy metal. You always feel like you are entering some sacred place when you step through them. As if people who are not worthy get tossed out. Shaking your head, you try and suppress the shiver that threatens to crawl down your back. The scent of grass, flowers, and animals hits your nose immediately and causes you to cough. Sometimes the scents could be overbearing.

When you are able to breathe comfortably again, you scan the surrounding area for Papyrus. It should not be hard at all to find that tall, energetic skeleton. Especially when he is currently racing towards you at top speed. Your eyes widen and you swallow a lump in your throat as you see the blur coming towards you. It is obvious that he has no intention of stopping. He runs as if a pack of angry dogs is behind him. Quickly closing the distance between you two, all you see is the big smile on his skeletal face and his orange scarf flapping in the wind. Not wanting to mess up his running pattern, you stay as still as a deer looking at headlights. If you moved he might accidently crash into you… but if you didn't move he might purposely crash into you.

Your eyes dart around with indecision. Before you can decide what the next move will be, Papyrus makes it for you. Scooping you up into his arms, he continues running for a few feet before screeching to a halt. His ribcage heaves with every breath as he holds you in front of his smiling face. You can practically see twinkles in his eye sockets as he gives you a big hug.

"HUMAN! SO SORRY… TO HAVE KEPT YOU WAITING! I MADE SURE TO… SPRINT TO YOU SO YOU WOULD NOT… HAVE TO WAIT A SECOND LONGER THAN NECESSARY." He says between short bursts of breathing.

"No problem Papyrus." You try to keep the giggles from escaping but they burst from your mouth anyway. "I wasn't here that long and… ah ha ha ha!"

He looks at you with confusion for a moment before deciding to join in. "NYEH HEH HEH! WELL, NOW THAT I HAVE ARRIVED… WHAT DO YOU WISH TO DO HERE AT THE PARK?"

Your stomach trembles as laughter racks your body. Taking deep breaths, you try and force yourself to calm down. The image of Papyrus racing towards you at lighting speed because he does not want you to wait is plaguing your mind and making it hard to concentrate. He had been going so fast that he had to scoop you up in mid run to make sure he did not completely flatten you. Your eyes widen and your giggles stop suddenly as you realize that you are once again in his arms. Your feet dangle nowhere close to the ground and his gloved hands support you underneath your armpits. Blushing, you clear your throat to get his attention.

Papyrus stops looking at a butterfly that has flown past his face a few seconds ago and turns to face you again. "HUMAN, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? YOU LOOK RED IN THE FACE."

"I'm fine Papyrus." You begin awkwardly. "But uh… could you put me down?"

"OF COURSE!" He replies as he sets you on the ground. You notice that he uses the same amount of care that he used the first time he had picked you up.

When you are safely on the ground, you scan the park. There is a dirt path that leads around the perimeter. You clap your hands together excitedly and turn towards your friend. "Why don't we walk on the path and check out the park?"

"PERFECT! THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA!" Papyrus quickly grabs your small hand in his large, gloved one and walks over to the path.

You smile at the warmth surrounding your hand and decide to let him hold it. It would normally embarrass you, having someone make physical contact with you, but for some reason you feel at ease.

'Whenever Papyrus does something… he does it with pure intentions.' You think as you walk along the dirt path with the skeleton. 'It is like he is a child. An innocent soul inside of a powerful body.'

"LOOK! ANOTHER BUTTERFLY HAS PASSED THE FACE OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" Papyrus exclaims in awe as colorful wings pass his face.

You smile and watch the butterfly fly away too. "It sure is pretty…" You look back at Papyrus with a big smile. "Have you seen many butterflies before?"

"NOT VERY MANY." His smile falters for a moment. "NOT MANY BUGS SURVIVED IN THE UNDERGROUND. THE SPIDERS WERE NICE THOUGH! THEY MADE EXCELLENT BAKED GOODS!"

You give his hand a reassuring squeeze as he answers. Beaming a big smile to put his mind at ease, you motion towards the path. Your heart fills with warmth as you watch him admire everything around him. His head turns around constantly to take in every bush, every flower, and every butterfly. Your eyes quickly look at your hand, still engulfed in his gloved one. The glove feels soft and warm on your skin. His grip is very gentle and you can barely feel any pressure on your hand. A giggle quietly escapes your throat as you realize that Papyrus probably thinks you are made of glass. You wonder if he is this gentle with his other friends, or if he just does not know how to treat humans. It doesn't matter. You decide that if he wants to hold your hand he can hold your hand.


	7. Chapter 7: Feel Like You Are Flying

Chapter 7: Feel Like You Are Flying

You walk around with Papyrus for ten more minutes, just admiring the beautiful scenery before something catches your eye. It is shiny, colorful, and makes your heart pound at the mere thought of it. Your hand tightens around the large, gloved one without you noticing. Papyrus looks down at you with a mixture of confusion and concern.

"HUMAN? IS EVERYTHING OKAY?" He asks loudly as he studies the expression on your face.

"Papyrus, I have the best idea!" You begin to tug on his arm. Although you are unsuccessful at moving the large skeleton, you still have his attention and he begins to walk with you. You pick up the pace and soon fly into a jog towards the object of your desire. It is within reach, only a few feet away!

"Yes!" You cry out in triumph when your free hand clasps around the metal pole. It is cold to the touch and causes bumps to form on your arms.

"WHAT IS ALL THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT HUMAN?" Papyrus asks as he looks at the swing set in front of you two. The look on his face makes it clear that he has no idea what it is for.

"It's a swing. You play on it." You begin to explain as you climb onto a free seat. "These are loads of fun and probably the best things in the whole park!" You motion to the seat next to you.

"FUN? NYEH!" Papyrus enthusiastically launches himself into the air towards the free seat. He lands on his stomach and becomes ensnared in the chain holding the seat up. His long limbs flail around for a few minutes, causing you to have to dodge several kicks, before he is finally able to sit on the seat properly.

"Love the enthusiasm Papyrus…" You begin with a giggle. "But maybe be more careful? I don't plan on swinging with a boot print on my face."

You start to slowly swing your legs back and forth. Your body is aching, practically begging for you to go faster. You want to feel the wind on your face, your stomach tickling as you go higher and higher. But you force yourself to remain close to the ground while you show Papyrus what to do. While your head says that he can probably swing higher than you, your heart says that you should wait until you are sure. Carefully, you move your legs in and out to build up small amounts of momentum. The swing begins to tentatively move along with you.

Papyrus smiles widely before attempting it himself. At first he kicks too hard and nearly throws himself off of the seat. Quickly grabbing the chains with his gloved hands, he steadies himself before trying again. With a determined 'nyeh' he kicks his legs in and out slowly. The seat begins to move with an audible creak. He looks at you with worry when he hears the sound.

"Don't worry. Swings are strong and you are doing great!" You say with a laugh as you see his long limbs begin to move with more confidence.

"OF COURSE I AM! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS GREAT AT EVERYTHING!" He exclaims as he begins to go higher and higher.

You decide to start moving your body in rhythm with the movement of the swing. Soon, you are swinging comfortably and picking up speed. Laughter bubbles out of your chest as the wind begins to hit your face. Your laughter is soon joined by Papyrus. The air fills with the sound of you two having fun. Hair begins to whip around your face, tickling your cheeks and causing you to realize how high you are going. Determined to feel like you are flying, you kick your legs with more vigor. You two swing in companionable silence for a while. Not needing to say anything to know the each other is having a good time.

You decide to break the silence and see how Papyrus is doing. "Papyrus! Isn't this fun?" You yell out above the sound of the creaking swings.

"NYEH HEH HEH! THIS IS THE PERFECT ACTIVITY FOR HAVING FUN!" He replies after a strong kick that sends him higher than you. "IT FEELS LIKE I AM FLYING! DO YOU THINK THIS IS HOW BIRDS FEEL?"

"Probably!" You say as you close your eyes. The wind is cold on your face and the movements of your body seem to magnify when you can't see. Darkness surrounds you. The only thing that exists is the feeling of flight and the sound of Papyrus' laughter. "Sometimes I feel like I can go so high, I can touch the clouds. Maybe even the stars!"

"I THINK MY BROTHER WOULD LIKE THAT." Papyrus says thoughtfully. "HE LIKES STARS. MAYBE I SHOULD BRING HIM HERE SOMETIME!"

"That sounds like a great idea." You realize that your breathing is becoming heavy and your legs feel sore. The sky seems to be getting darker, the sun nearly hidden behind low hanging clouds. Your eyes widen when you realize that you and Papyrus have been swinging and talking for at least a couple of hours. You turn your head to look at him, careful not to fall off the moving swing. "We should probably get off!"

"OKAY HUMAN!" Suddenly, Papyrus lets go off the chains and hurls himself off the moving swing. He curls into a ball and rolls on the grassy ground before springing up and standing on his legs. He looks at you with a raised eye bone before motioning to the ground next to him. "HUMAN? AREN'T YOU GOING TO GET OFF THE SWING? I THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO GO."

"I am Papyrus…" You say uncertainly. "Just not like that."

Carefully, you stop moving your legs and allow yourself to slow down. You stretch your legs until the tip of your foot is touching the ground. Digging it into the ground, you wait until the swing has almost stopped moving before you carefully slide off of the seat. When you are safely on the ground you walk over to Papyrus. Your face feels like it is on fire and you are certain that your cheeks are an unbearable shade of pink. You kick the ground a few times with your foot before talking.

"Sorry I took so long, but um… I can't really do what you do." You try to explain your inability to hurl yourself off of a swing without dying.

"NO PROBLEM HUMAN! THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CANNOT!" Papyrus says as he envelopes you in a hug. " WHY DON'T WE GET SOME NICE CREAM BEFORE WE END THIS WONDERFUL PLAY DATE?"

"What's nice cream?" You ask when the hug is over. Your body can still feel the surprising amount of warmth that had surrounded you. The look of shock on Papyrus' face causes you to have to hold in a laugh.

"YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT NICE CREAM? YOU POOR HUMAN! I MUST RIGHT THIS TERRIBLE WRONG!" Grabbing you by your waist, Papyrus picks you up quickly and drapes you over his shoulder. You head is resting comfortably on his shoulder while you arms are wrapped around his neck for support. One of his arms holds you firmly around your waist to make sure you do not slip.

You begin to stammer with cheeks that are quickly reddening. "Papyrus, I… um… I can walk. You don't… uh… need to, you know… carry me."

"NONSENSE HUMAN! YOU CANNOT RUN AS FAST AS ME AND WE MUST REACH OUR DESTINATION QUICKLY!" He responds as he breaks into a sprint. His legs are simply a blur as he quickly leaves the park. Drifting the turns like a race car, he dodges people walking down the sidewalk. You have to admit that there is no way you would be able to keep up with the surprisingly quick skeleton. "DO NOT WORRY! I AM AN EXPERT AT CARRYING! I CARRY MY LAZYBONES BROTHER AROUND ALL THE TIME! NYEH HEH HEH!"

Not wanting to argue anymore, and feeling relaxed by the warmth of Papyrus, you decide to let him carry you. After all, it is not like he will drop you.

'He is The Great Papyrus after all.' You think as you close your eyes.


	8. Chapter 8: You Are Great

Animation won the poll! Eventually I will make an Undertale animation to celebrate. It will be my first one and will probably take a while so just please be patient. Until then, enjoy the story and thank you all! :D

Chapter 8: You Are Great

You lick the last drops of nice cream you can reach inside of the cone. Your tongue desperately reaches for more, stretching as far as it can possibly go before retracting back into your mouth in defeat. Smiling, you begin to munch on the waffle cone. The powdered cinnamon on it causes your taste buds to tingle. Your shoulders shoot upwards as you giggle with delight. This is by far the _best_ ice cream you have ever had. It is smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness. The unusual color of the ice cream also mesmerizes you. It is a shade of blue that you couldn't seem to name. It is deep and rich, but uplifting and light at the same time. When you had first laid eyes on the scoops of ice cream you had searched your brain for every shade of blue you knew. Your extensive knowledge of colors was something you prided yourself on but you had been unable to pinpoint the color of the treat.

You had asked Papyrus if he knew what color the nice cream was. Your cheeks had become pink with repressed laughter when he had replied in a confused voice. "HUMAN... THE NICE CREAM IS BLUE."

Now you smile up at him and watch him finish the rest of his cone. Papyrus has managed to eat two nice creams in the time it has taken you to finish one. You lick the stray drips from your fingers before asking the question plaguing your mind. "Hey Papyrus?"

"YES HUMAN?" Papyrus answers with a big grin. He finishes chewing his waffle cone before speaking again. "WHAT IS IT?"

"Um... I was wondering." You are awkwardly unsure how to continue. You realize that what you are about to ask may be considered rude and begin to regret opening your mouth. "Well... how do you eat?"

"YOU JUST SAW ME FINISH EATING A FEW SECONDS AGO." Papyrus says with one eye bone raised. His face becomes concerned. Cupping your face in his gloved hands, he leans you towards him and begins examining you. "ARE YOU FEELING OKAY HUMAN? FIRST YOU ASK WHAT COLOR THE OBVIOUSLY BLUE NICE CREAM IS... THEN YOU ASK ME HOW I EAT THE NICE CREAM. ARE YOU ILL?"

"No!" You begin to laugh. The sudden euphoria that hits you causes you to forget the embarrassment you should be feeling with Papyrus' hands holding your face. "It's just that, well... you are a skeleton so I just want to know where the food goes. You don't have a stomach, so how do you eat?"

"OH!" Papyrus says as he releases you. "THAT IS SIMPLE HUMAN!"

You notice with amusement that one of his hands moves to his hip while the other one goes to his chest. He lifts his head importantly before looking at you. His eyes seem to ask you whether or not you want him to continue. Nodding your head yes, you try to hold in the wave of giggles that threaten to break through.

"IT IS BECAUSE OF... MAGIC!" Papyrus spreads his arms to the side as he yells out the last word. "MONSTERS ARE MADE OF SOULS AND MAGIC. SO WE CAN DO THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT! REMEMBER WHEN I SAID YOU COULD DO THINGS THAT I CANNOT?"

"Yes." You say with awe. Your mind threatens to explode because of what you are hearing. Magic... real magic. It seems crazy. Magic was something for magicians to perform. It was something that you knew was probably fake but believed in anyway. The only reason you forced yourself to believe was because you didn't want to live in a world where you didn't at least _try_ to. It was great to have hope and dreams, even if you knew they were silly. But now you were being told that magic was actually real. When it was coming from a living skeleton, you had no choice but to believe it. To _really_ believe it.

"WELL, IT IS BECAUSE OF MAGIC! YOU CAN BLEED... I CANNOT. YOU CAN ALSO DIE AND LEAVE BEHIND AN EMPTY CORPSE. MONSTERS CANNOT!" Papyrus talks about death with the same vigor he uses to talk about life. The subject seems to hold no weight for him and he continues in the same cheery tone. "MAGIC LETS ME EXIST! WITHOUT IT I WOULD TURN TO DUST AND MY SOUL WOULD FLY AWAY. AS FOR EATING!"

Papyrus stops talking suddenly. His face turns blank and his mouth hangs open. You can see his cheeks begin to turn a light shade of orange. Clearing his throat and putting his arms down, he continues without meeting your gaze. "I... AM NOT REALLY SURE. YOU HUMANS HAVE YOUR STOMACHS AND ORGANS AND OTHER... HUMANY THINGS. BUT I AM A SKELETON AND HAVE NONE OF THOSE. I SUPPOSE IT JUST... DISAPPEARS?"

You frown when Papyrus keeps his eyes averted. He is shuffling around in place, as if he can't stand still. Your eyes notice his hands fumbling with each other, his eyes darting to different spots on the ground, and the light dusting of orange on his cheekbones. Frowning, your mind screams at you. _You know what is wrong! Look at him! The signs are all there!_

Papyrus is clearly embarrassed. You asked him a question and he wasn't able to answer it. That must be a heavy blow for The Great Papyrus. His self-confidence came from his belief that he was capable of anything, but you had the sneaking suspicion that being on the surface showed him that there was a lot he did not know. Humans must be a mystery to the monsters as much as the monsters are a mystery to humans. You wonder what it must be like for Papyrus, being somewhere completely new and being surrounded by people that were so different from him. It must be horrible to see that humans know so much about their world and themselves, while he didn't even know much about monsters. You remember learning all about cells and organs in school. You know what happens to your food just like you know how you are able to breathe, or how you are able to move. It is simple to you. But a skeleton made of a soul and magic... it is hard to learn anything about how that works.

 _You feel embarrassed every single day. It is normal for you... but Papyrus... he shouldn't feel that way ever._ A determined look forms on your face as you realize what you have to do. Without hesitation you spread your arms out and lurch forward. Hard bone hits your face but you ignore the ache on your forehead. Your arms close around the wide torso of the skeleton. His size means you are not able to completely encircle him, but you stretch as far as you are able to. Pressing your face into his chest, you close your eyes so you don't have to see his face. He could be surprised, happy, or angry, you have no idea. Your cheeks heat up as you force yourself to continue hugging him. The feeling of hard bone underneath the fabric of his clothes is strange. It is like you are hugging the sidewalk. Papyrus is firm and unmoving, causing your soft skin to hurt slightly. But he is also surprisingly warm. Soft warmth seems to emanate from his chest, heating up your face and arms. The heat gently eases away the pain, like a soft feather brushing away your discomfort. After a few seconds the aches are completely gone and all you feel is the comforting warmth of Papyrus.

You force yourself to talk to him without letting go. "Papyrus... it's okay that you don't know. Nobody knows everything. I don't know everything about how I work. Sometimes I feel like I know nothing about myself... but that is okay too. We learn new things everyday. Accepting that and striving to gain knowledge is what make someone great." You open your eyes slowly before angling your face upwards to see him. The orange is still on his cheeks but he is watching you with sparkling eyes. "You should never feel embarrassed about yourself Papyrus. You are The Great Papyrus and nothing will ever change that. Okay?"

"THANK YOU HUMAN." Papyrus says with a big smile. "YOU SHOULD NEVER FEEL EMBARASSED ABOUT YOURSELF EITHER! BECAUSE YOU ARE FRIENDS WITH THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND I THINK YOU ARE GREAT TOO!"

He wraps you in a large hug while laughing. "NYEH HEH HEH! YES! YOU ARE THE GREAT _!"

"Thanks." You say as you release him from your grasp. Papyrus does the same and you two sit together in companionable silence for a few minutes.

Checking your phone for the time, your eyes widen when you see how late it is. The sun is already setting over Mt. Ebott and if you don't get home soon you might not wake up in time for work. You turn to Papyrus and give him an apologetic smile before speaking. "Hey Papyrus, sorry but I got to get going."

He seems disappointed as he responds. "OH… OF COURSE HUMAN. THEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL SEE YOU LATER?" The last part sounds like a question. You can see sparks of uncertainty cross his face as he waits for your answer.

"Of course!" You say quickly. "Send me a text the next time you want to hang out. Okay?"

"OKAY!" Papyrus leaps up and gives you one last, gentle hug before waving goodbye. You watch him sprint off into the distance for a few seconds before turning around and beginning your walk home.

In your pocket you hold the wrapper from your nice cream cone. You stop walking once you realize that you never bothered to read it. Papyrus had told you that one of the best parts of eating nice cream were the nice messages written on the wrapper. Excited and a little nervous, you reach in and pull the wrapper out. Slowly, you unfold the wrapper.

 _You're just as great!_

You can't stop laughing until you finally reach your apartment.


	9. Chapter 9: Get Ready

Chapter 9: Get Ready

Flipping a page, your eyes scan the book in front of you vigorously. The story is getting intense. Will your favorite character die? He has already died once before, but was brought back to life mysteriously. It would be just like the author to bring him back only to tear your heart out for a second time. That was one of the reasons you loved and hated the author with a passion. Without warning your phone suddenly begins to ring. A smile spreads across your face as you hear the custom ringtone you chose for Papyrus.

"Da da da da da dadada dadadada da…" You sing quietly as you walk over to grab the phone. You listen to the ringtone for a few more seconds before answering. You keep the phone a few inches away from your ear, a trick you learned after nearly going deaf from Papyrus' phone calls. "Hey Papyrus, what's up?"

"HUMAN! I AM SO GLAD YOU PICKED UP!" Papyrus shouts on the other end. "I HAVE THE GREATEST NEWS! NEWS WORTHY OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

"Cool!" You say with enthusiasm. You can feel your heart pumping at the idea of Papyrus being this excited about something. It was true that the overly confident skeleton could be excited about many different things, all with different ranges of how excited he should actually be, but this seemed like a good one. "What is it?"

"MY BROTHER AND I ARE HOSTING A GET TOGETHER AT OUR HOUSE TODAY AND I WANTED TO INVITE YOU! JUST IMAGINE IT! MY MONSTER BESTIES BECOMING FRIENDS WITH MY HUMAN BESTIE!" Papyrus screams into the phone. His voice begins to transition back and forth from loud to quiet. It is as if he is whipping the arm that is holding the phone back and forth as he speaks. "YOU HAVE TO BE THERE! PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU CAN MAKE IT! I AM SO NERVOUS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CAN'T EVEN STAND STILL!"

You place a hand over your mouth the muffle the laughter. That explains why is sounds like he is throwing the phone around the room. Deciding to answer before Papyrus accidentally breaks his phone, you quickly speak. "Of course I'll be there! I can't wait to meet your friends!"

"PERFECT! I WILL TEXT YOU THE ADDRESS OF MY HOME. BE THERE AT FIVE PM FOR THE FUN TO COMMENCE!" Papyrus says with a laugh. Before you can say another word, he hangs up.

As soon as you put down the phone, the smile slips from your face. With your heart in your throat, you realize what you just did. Now you have to go to Papyrus' house and not only meet his brother, but his other friends too. So many new faces all at once. Breathing in and out, you attempt to calm yourself down. Grabbing a strand of your hair, you play with it. Your breathing and heartbeat continues to race faster than a speeding horse. Mouth dry and head spinning, you sit down on the couch.

"What did I do?" You say with a cracking voice. "I get nervous just calling people on the phone. Now I have to go and meet them all face to face?"

Another dilemma suddenly comes to you. Papyrus never specified what kind of get together it was. Was there a dress code? Would you be eating there or did you have to eat before? How long was it going to last? Sweat rolls down your forehead as more and more questions assault your mind. You could always call Papyrus back and ask him.

Trembling, you slowly reach out for the phone. A few inches before you touch it, your hand recoils as if you had been reaching for a snake instead. Groaning, you lie down face first on the couch. "Great… I can't even work up the courage to call Papyrus. What do I expect to do when I'm at the house?" Your voice is muffled against the cushions and barely reaches your own ears.

Thoughts of Papyrus flash through your mind. His smile, his laugh, his confidence. He would come over to meet your friends without worry or hesitation. He would do it because he wouldn't want you to be disappointed. You bolt upright with a look of determination on your face. Papyrus was your friend and you were going to do everything you could to make sure things went well. If he wanted you to become besties with his monster friends… that was exactly what you were going to do. If things went horribly wrong, at least it wouldn't be your fault.

Steeling your resolve, you stand up and take a deep breath. "I'm going to give the best first impression ever… or die trying."

Racing to your room, you dodge the random plush toys and pillows on the floor in order to reach your closet. The get together was still a few hours away, but you did not want to take any chances. Opening the closet door, you carefully examine every article of clothing. Papyrus did not mention anything about formal attire, and you doubted a simple get together with friends would be anything fancy. Your eyes narrow, but that didn't mean you could show up in some lazy outfit. This was going to be a special occasion. Fingers flying across the hangers, you snatch the perfect shirt and hurl it onto your toy covered bed.

Full of adrenaline, you quickly grab your favorite pair of jeans and toss those onto the bed as well. All you needed now was some accessories. Luckily, you keep all your jewelry in an ice cube tray on the window sill. Every pair of earrings is separated into its own cube, making it easy for you to locate the ones you want. A smile spreads across your face at the sight of the bright green, rubber ice cube tray. The strangeness of it was one of the reasons you had bought it. It felt nice to see strange objects around your room, reminding you that it was okay to be different. Grabbing the earrings gently, you put them on before changing your clothes.

You slip into a bright yellow shirt with a tie dye heart on the front of it. It is comfortable to move in, but still molds nicely to your figure. Blush spreads across your face as the thought crosses your mind. That was why you loved the shirt. It was modest but still flattering. Allowing you to feel pretty without becoming self-conscious. A pair of light blue jeans with pink hearts stitched on one leg comes on next. They are slightly worn, giving you the ability to move without trouble. Your pink, heart earrings match them nicely. Carefully, you put on a silver necklace given to you by your dad. Your hands caress it for a few seconds before letting go. Two rings slip onto your fingers. One copper band given to you by your sister, and one with an emerald given to you by your mom. These three pieces of jewelry were always on you, no matter what outfit you wore.

Feeling content with the outfit you chose, you look at the clock and are relieved to see that you still have an hour before it is time to go. Taking a deep breath, you sit on the couch and decide to use the hour to calm down your nerves. They are stifled by your conviction to make sure Papyrus is not disappointed… but they are still there.

"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this." You repeat to yourself as your fingers intertwine in locks of your hair. Maybe if you say it enough, you can trick yourself into actually believing it.


	10. Chapter 10: A Terrifying Jokester

Chapter 10: A Terrifying Jokester

You nervously look at the screen of your phone, biting the bottom of your lip with apprehension as you see the time displayed. It is four thirty PM… In your determination to not be late, you have accidentally arrived thirty minutes early. Although you are sure that it is okay to be a little early, thirty minutes might be pushing it.

 _'Oh no…'_ Is all you can think as you glance back and forth from the phone and the door. As if looking at it again will magically change the time to something more acceptable. Door… Phone… Door… Phone… Door… Phone… It is now four thirty-five PM. But this isn't because of a miracle. This is because you have been silently standing in front of Papyrus' house for five minutes while internally panicking.

You glance behind yourself, passed the driveway and the two mailboxes, all the way to the empty road. Maybe if you leave right away, you can make it back to your house and wait for a few minutes. Even as you think about this option, you know that it is ridiculous. By the time you would make it back to your house, it would be way past the time you were supposed to arrive. Then again, you could always phone Papyrus and say that you are too sick to come. That isn't a complete lie… After all, you are feeling sick in your stomach right now.

Your leg twitches and you turn your body, getting ready for a mad dash down the driveway. But before you can make another move, the door suddenly opens and a smiling skeleton lets out an enthusiastic, "NYEH HEH HEH! HUMAN BESTIE, YOU HAVE ARRIVED JUST IN TIME!"

Turning around with surprise, you can feel your heart threaten to burst out of your chest. Pink-cheeked and trying to appear as casual as you can, you cross your arms and utter an obviously uncomfortable laugh. "H-heh... Haha ha… Y-yeah." What is he talking about? You are clearly _way_ too early. Papyrus should be upset with you and demanding to know why you think it is acceptable to be… You steal a quick glance at your phone. It is four forty PM. Twenty minutes still seems much too early to you. Unless you are remembering the time wrong and the get together starts right now.

"ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE ARRIVED EXTREMELY EARLY FOR THE GET TOGETHER." Papyrus amends himself, resting his hands on his hips with a smile.

In one sentence, he has managed to clear something up and confuse you at the same time. So, you _did_ get the time right. But why does he seem to be so happy about you being, as he eloquently put it, _extremely early_? "Is that… a good thing?" You ask, subconsciously beginning to reach for a strand of your hair.

Before you can grab it, your arms are suddenly pressed against your sides as Papyrus enthusiastically picks you up. Your eyes widen with shock and your legs automatically give a few feeble kicks as they search for solid ground. But the ground is a long distance away, and past experiences tell you that you won't be feeling it anytime soon. Your fists clench as your body stiffens with embarrassment at how ridiculously easy it is for Papyrus to pick you up.

Too excited to notice your discomfort, Papyrus just yells, "OF COURSE IT IS A GOOD THING! ARRIVING EARLY MEANS THAT YOU WISH TO SPEND EVEN _MORE_ TIME WITH ME! WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED AFTER ALL, BECAUSE WE ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF BESTIES! I ALWAYS ARRIVE EARLY WHEN I AM INVITED SOMEWHERE. MY FRIENDS LOVE IT!"

Honestly, you aren't sure whether that is true. People don't normally like it when guests arrive _too_ early. Then again, whoever Papyrus' friends are must be used to his overabundance of energy. Surely, they expect that kind of behavior from him. Maybe they purposely tell him a later time than the other guests, that way when he arrives early he is actually on time. _'That's actually a pretty good idea…'_ You think, making a mental note to do this if you ever invite the skeleton to your house.

Turning around, Papyrus walks back into the house while effortlessly carrying you. He even repositions you so that he can support you with one arm while shutting the door with the other. Your face begins to cool down as your embarrassment slowly fades away. Although you still feel small, you can't help but notice that Papyrus always seems to know how to hold you so that you are incredibly comfortable. A foggy memory of him mentioning how he carries his brother around all the time, flashes through your mind.

 _'I guess practice_ does _make perfect.'_ You think with an amused smile.

"HUMAN, ALTHOUGH I AM GLAD THAT YOU HAVE ARRIVED EARLY… THE DINNER IS NOT YET COMPLETE AND I AM AFRAID I MUST LEAVE YOU ALONE ON THE COUCH." Papyrus says apologetically as he walks over to the couch and carefully sets you down on it. From the way he slowly places you on the cushions, someone would think they were made of rocks instead of fabric. "PLEASE, MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE WHILE YOU WAIT FOR THE OTHERS TO ARRIVE. MY HOME IS YOUR HOME!"

Smiling at him, you say, "I will Papyrus! Thank you so much…" You end up thanking his back because he is already excitedly racing back to the kitchen. The faint aroma of smoke comes from the room, but you don't hear any distress from the skeleton. Whether or not this is a good thing, you aren't entirely sure.

Chuckling softly, you start to look around the room. Spotless houses always put you on edge. They make you feel like you are an intruder in a forbidden place. Somewhere that no living thing is supposed to see. Luckily, this house is anything but spotless… Books are scattered on the coffee table, video game controllers are laying on the floor in front of the television, various stains dot the carpet, and a few discarded soda cans suggest what most of the stains are. All in all, it feels warm and inviting. Messy enough to show that the house is lived in, but not so messy that it is overwhelming. Although, the bottle of ketchup on the coffee table is a little strange.

Raising an eyebrow, you tentatively reach out and poke the bottle. It is a little over half-way full… Deciding to leave the condiment alone, you glance at one of the thicker books on the table. "Quantum Physics?" You mutter with confusion as you open the book. But as soon as you flip the page, you realize that it is a joke book. A few more flips and suddenly it is a quantum physics book again.

This continues for several minutes before you finally decide to just close the book with a sigh. Lowering your head and rubbing your temples to try and get rid of the headache forming, you internally debate whether you had been looking at a quantum physics book or a joke book. Another pressing question flashes in your mind, causing your head to shoot up and your hands to shoot down. Whose book is it? Papyrus doesn't seem like the kind of person to read a book about quantum physics. You feel a twinge of guilt at that thought. Perhaps there is more to him than meets the eye and you are simply jumping to conclusions. After all, it wouldn't be the first time you've underestimated someone… Besides, there is a fifty percent chance that it is a joke book. Someone as cheerful as Papyrus would certainly enjoy a good laugh.

"Maybe it's his brother's…" You ponder out loud, wondering what kind of person… _skeleton_ , he is. Is he a genius or a jokester? It seems like your question will soon be answered because the sound of a door opening reaches your ears. It sounds like it came from the hallway. That must be where the brother's room is.

"SANS, YOU LAZYBONES! YOU ARE FINALLY AWAKE! QUICK, GO TO THE LIVING ROOM AND SAY HELLO TO MY HUMAN FRIEND." Papyrus' voice calls out from the kitchen, accompanied by the banging of pots and pans. The smell of smoke begins to get stronger, mixing with the aroma of tomatoes. It is interesting to say the least.

" _tibia_ honest, i think i'd rather go back to bed." A deep voice drifts from the hallway, causing you to narrow your eyes with confusion. You know that voice… But you can't seem to remember _where_ you heard it. Whoever it is, they certainly don't sound thrilled about having to meet you. In fact, their tone has a hint of bitterness.

"NO, NO, NO! YOU WILL NOT GO BACK TO BED! YOU WILL GO TO THE LIVING ROOM AND BE NICE TO MY HUMAN BESTIE AND THEN YOU WILL BECOME BESTIES WITH HER AS WELL! I MEAN IT!" Papyrus retorts, emphasizing how much he means it by slamming a lid down onto a pot. "ALSO, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM MAKING ANY MORE PUNS. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO SCARE THE HUMAN AWAY WITH HOW BAD THEY ARE!"

"alright pap, but i'm insulted that you think my puns are bad. my puns are the cause of many wonderful _skelle_ -brations. heh, heh, heh…" Sans replies, the bitterness becoming replaced by slight amusement. But as he grows more relaxed, you can feel your entire body tense. You remember where you know that voice from.

"it's _you_." Sans says in a hard tone, his voice suddenly coming from behind you.

You flinch with surprise before slowly turning around. A shiver runs down your spine as you look into two, black eye sockets. Void of even a glimmer of light, the darkness seems to pierce through your very soul. Air crackling with tension, a minute of silence passes with neither of you looking away. Honestly, you aren't sure you _could_ look away if you tried. With a racing heart and sweaty palms, you finally manage to stammer out in a hoarse voice, "I-it's you."

His eye sockets narrow and a dark shadow seems to fall over his face, causing you to cower slightly. "yeah, it's me… now that we've covered that, how 'bout you tell me how you know my bro? don't even think about telling a _fib_ -ula, because i'll know…" He says in that same serious tone, slowly walking over to sit down on the couch. He reminds you of a predator on the hunt, stalking his prey.

At least you have your answer... Papyrus' brother is a jokester. A terrifying jokester, but a jokester nonetheless.


End file.
